destrekor
Lifer
- Nov 18, 2005
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It's still so nuts to think about the fact that the actual "black hole" supposedly wouldn't even have measurable dimensions. A nearly infinite volume in an infinitesimal point, or in other words a whole epic amount of matter crammed into something that, no matter what resolution, magnification, or other technowizardry, would still be smaller than a single digital pixel at any scale.As an astrophysics nerd, I have to point things out for accuracy as this photo represents one of mankind's most amazing achievements
The black hole itself does not emit light as the escape velocity of the singularity in the center of the hole is greater than the speed of light. However, matter swirling around the event horizon (the point of no return around the hole) is being whipped around at relativistic speeds. Particles crash into each other, creating very powerful x-rays, gamma rays, radio signals, and visible/non-visible light. By photographing this area of space over and over, we can collect a composite picture from any captured photons and eventually put together an outline of the actual black hole.
Black holes went through a process to prove they exist:
- A thought experiment in the 1700's
- A mathematical curiosity in the 1800's
- A mathematical model in the early 1900's
- A theory in in the 1940s
- A discovered candidate in the early 1970s
- Actual photographic evidence in 2019
You're looking at an object that actually breaks the rules of the universe. Amazing to think about.
That black donut hole is also exaggerated a bit by the physical properties of light and gravity. That's called the shadow. The diameter of the actual event horizon (the point of no return) I believe is roughly 2/3 the size of the shadow, or thereabout. Saw some good science discussions describing just exactly what we are looking at and what it tells us. I've always been fascinated with astrophysics and astronomy.
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